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Most people get just enough Vitamin K from their diets to maintain adequate blood clotting.

But NOT enough Vitamin K to offer protection against health problems including arterial calcification, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, various cancers and brain health problems, including dementia.

The name Vitamin K comes from the German word “Koagulationsvitamin” where its role in blood coagulation was first discovered.

Vitamin K is an essential vitamin. It is one of the four fat-soluble vitamins, along with vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E. It’s found in leafy green vegetables, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin K and Vitamin K supplements come in several forms and can be confusing. To increase your levels of Vitamin K, it’s important to understand the differences.

Vitamin K2: Bacteria produce this type of Vitamin K; it goes straight to vessel walls, bones and tissues other than your liver. It is present in fermented foods, particularly cheese and the Japanese food natto (the richest source of K2).

Different Forms of Vitamin K2

Making matters even more complex, there are several different forms of Vitamin K2. MK-4 and MK-7 are the two most significant forms of K2 and act very differently in your body.

MK-4 is a synthetic product, very similar to Vitamin K1, and your body is capable of converting K1 into MK4. It has a very short biological half-life of about one hour, making it a poor candidate as a dietary supplement. It remains mostly in your liver where it is useful in synthesizing blood-clotting factors.

MK-7 is a newer agent with more practical applications because it stays in your body longer; its half-life is three days, meaning you have a much better chance of building up a consistent blood level, compared to MK-4 or K1. It slows down cardiovascular aging and osteoporosis, and prevents inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory markers produced by white blood cells.

Food Sources of Vitamin K and MK-7

Photo by Like_The_Grand_Canyon on Flickr licensed CC-BY

MK-7 is extracted from the Japanese fermented soy product called ‘natto’. You get loads of MK-7 from natto. However, natto is generally not appealing to a Westerner’s palate (can’t tolerate its smell and slimy texture).

You can also find Vitamin K2, including MK-7, in other fermented foods including some fermented vegetables.

Certain types of fermented cheeses (Jarlsberg) are high in K2 but others are not. It really depends on the specific bacteria. You can’t assume that any fermented food will be high in K2.

Vitamin K Supplements

Choosing a K2 supplement: When supplementing your Vitamin K food sources, consider a high quality MK-7 form of vitamin K2. (Plus, as they are inexpensive, include Vitamin K1 and MK-4 to help inhibit and possibly reverse vascular calcification.)

Relentless Improvement

Dosage: Although the exact dosage of Vitamin K is yet to be determined, one of the world’s top Vitamin K researchers, Dr. Cees Vermeer recommends between 45 mcg and 185 mcg daily for normally healthy adults.

Disclaimer: the authors of this Web site are not medical doctors and are not affiliated with any medical school or organization. The information on this site is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in this service is intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.